(Palm Beach, FL – February 24, 2023) – The Hope for Depression Research Foundation (HDRF) celebrated the Fifth Anniversary of its Race of Hope 5K to Defeat Depression in Palm Beach at Bradley Park, a new location for the event while the traditional one, The Royal Poinciana Plaza, undergoes construction. The event gathered more than 900 men, women, and children on Saturday morning in Palm Beach to support mental health awareness and urgent research into depression and anxiety.
The festive event raised a record of over $550,000 for HDRF’s advanced life-saving mental health research into new treatments for clinical depression.
HDRF Founding Chair Audrey Gruss and Board member Scott Snyder, both Palm Beach residents, served as the Co-Grand Marshals of the 5K walk/run, which started at 8 AM at Bradley Park in Palm Beach.
“Today we see the event nearly double in size with 900 registered participants. Today, we’ve broken all previous fundraising records. I am simply bowled over by the groundswell of support for this event and for the cause of mental health research. Thank you, Palm Beach!!” said Gruss to the crowd.
“One hundred percent of all revenue raised today goes directly to life-saving depression research.” She added just before the 8AM starting gun.
At the starting gun, participants set off to complete the 3.1-mile course starting at Bradley Park, as they took in the beautiful views of the Palm Beach Lake Trail.
Lining up in the start corrals were practiced runners, walkers, families with babies and dogs, and teams from local businesses such as, Akris, Aktion Art, Top of Mind, Fit2Run, J.P. Morgan, Le Bilboquet, Livingston Builders, Doyle, Smith and Elkin, Tenenbaum and Sullivan, and Yafa Signed Jewels.
All race participants wore hats, shirts and light pullovers in HDRF’s signature yellow, creating a sea of sunshine with blue skies and palm trees as their backdrop. The Race of Hope is a USA Track and Field-sanctioned event.
At the close of the Race, Audrey Gruss presented Awards to the top finishers and to the top fundraisers. The top Overall Male winner was, Stephen Wilsman and the top Overall Female winner was Michelle Jones The Award for Top Fundraising Team from the PB Race of Hope Committee went to Le Bilboquet, which raised $11,200. The Award for Top Individual Fundraiser from the PB Race of Hope Committee went to Mona Nasser, who raised $4,250.
The Race Director than took the floor to hand out the awards for the other finishers. Second Place for best male time went to Dixon McDonald and Second Place for the best female time went to Shannon Fox, Third Place for best male time went to Ryan Lee, andThird Place for the best female time went to Lila Drew. The top three Overall Masters awards for the male division went to Michael Madden for First Place, Eric Capostagno for Second Place and Regis Smeltz for Third Place. The top three Overall Masters awards for the female division went to Erika Williams for First Place, Jill Mahler for Second Place and Joanna Madden for Third Place. The Age Division winners included Fox Platt and Sabrina Nelms for 13-15, Aidan Clark and Ashley Stocker for 16-19, Samuel Morrison and Rachel Meus for 20-24, Justin Keip and Lila Remez for 25-29, Matthew Oleszczuk and Michelle Botindari for 30-34, Alexander Baker and Jennifer Zuehlsdorff for 35-39, JJ Bujalski and Adrienne Gill for 40-44, John Antonini and Shannon Duff for 45-49, Martin Nadeau and Debra LaGrua for 50-54, William Rivera and Jeni Hollister for 55-59, Chris Cooney and Debbie McCabe for 60-64, Perry Feyk and Carol Hassell for 65-69, Bernie Candy and Marianne Dean for 70-74, and Lance Ellis and Lee McLaughlin for 75 plus.
All race participants received a signature yellow shirt, lightweight pullover, hat & finisher medal. The first, second, and third place winners received cash prizes of up to $500. An anonymous donor covered all costs of the Race so that 100% of all donations go directly to life-saving depression research.
Committee Race participants included: Jamee & Peter Gregory, Teresa & Jim Remez, Tricia Quick, Carolina & Omeed Malik, Tom Quick, Eddy Taylor, Barbera Hale Thornhill, Charles & Kaaren Hale, Sharon Loeb, Simone Levinson, Sharon Bush & Bob Murray, Stacey Pashcow, Mashi Azmudeh, Joanna Roland, Nancy Stone and Lis Waterman.
Junior Committee participants included: PJ Quick, Casey Taylor, Turner & Mike Mistretta, Mona Nasser, Hollis Pica, Kameron Ramirez, Sarah & Andrew Wetenhall, Bettina Anderson, Carolina Buia Barefoot, Tom Brodsky, Zoe Bullock, Samantha Curry, Erin Donnelley, Maggi Haigh, Nick Hissom, Grace Hyde, Katherine Lande & Kevin Condon, Wendy Benichou, Stacey Leuliette, Nick Mele, Matt Oleszczuk, Nic Roldan, William Seggos, Kirsten Smith, Alanna Sutherland and Eric Viner.
Palm Beach Race of Hope Committee
Race of Hope Co-Grand Marshals: Audrey Gruss and Scott Snyder
Diamond Level: Perri & Bob Bishop, Marvin H. Davidson, Jamee & Peter Gregory, Teresa & James Remez, and Tricia Quick
Platinum Level: Janet & J.J. Cafaro, Deborah & Phillippe Dauman, Kim Fennebresque, Charles & Kaaren Hale, John Hendrickson, Simone & David Levinson, Caroline & Omeed Malik, Nicola & Jeff Marcus, Paulson Foundation, Thomas C. Quick & Michael Donnell, Katharine Rayner, Eddy & John J. Taylor lll, Barbera Hale Thornhill, and Lynne Wheat
Gold Level: Catherine Adler, James R. Borynack & Adolfo Zaralegui, Andy Boszhardt, Geoffrey N. Bradfield, Becky & F. William Bryan, James H. Coleman, Pamela Cohen & Nick Korniloff, Julie & Mike Connors, Cara & Kevin Ferro, The Honorable David Fischer & Jennifer Fischer, Cindy & Chris Galvin, Joe Hernandez, Tania & Brian Higgins, Darlene & Jerry Jordan, Melanie & Roger Lawson, Petra Levin, Ambassador & Mrs. John L. Loeb, Jr., Robert F. Mancuso, Amb. Bonnie McElveen-Hunter & Gil Kemp, Heidi & Tom McWilliams, Muffy & Donald Miller, John & Carole Moran, Mario Nievera, Arnold & Joe Pacetti, Joel Pashcow, Jeffrey Pfeifle & David Granville, Amy & John Phelan, Sallie B. Phillips, Marzia Precoda, Kara Ross, Nancy Yanofsky & Ed Brown
Silver Level: Julie Araskog, Mashi Azmudeh, Bruce Bierman & William Secord, CeCe and Lee Black, Kimmy & Steve Brauer, Dominique Buaron, Sharon Bush & Robert C. Murray, Frances Fisher, Susie & Vere Gaynor, Hilary Geary, Heidi Hanna, Yaz & Valentin Hernandez, Eva & Herb Jacobi, Jayne T. Keith, Eleanora Kennedy, Merrie Harris & Nathaniel Kramer, Louise & Christopher Lewinton, Stephanie Loeffler, Bill & Tiffany Meyer, Lucia N. Musso, Linda Olsson, Stacey Pashcow & Marc Caputo, Joanna Roland, Barbara & Randall Smith, Nancy Stone, Ginny & David Sydorick, Roxann Taylor, Betsy & Wally Turner, Nicholas Varney, Lis Waterman, Clelia & Tom Zacharias, and David Zislin
Palm Beach Race of Hope Inaugural Junior Committee
Chairman: PJ Quick Pollack, Casey Taylor
Co-Chairs: Turner & Mike Mistretta, Mona Nasser, Hollis Bradley Pica, Kameron Ramirez, and Sarah & Andrew Wetenhall
Committee: Bettina Anderson, Carolina Buia Barefoot, Wendy Benichou, Tom Brodsky, Zoe Bullock, Samantha Curry, Erin Donnelley, Andrew Filauro, Clementine Goutal, Maggi Haigh, Nick Hissom, Grace Hyde, Katherine Lande & Kevin Condon, Stacey Leuliette, Nick Mele, Matt Oleszczuk, Bert Posess, Michael Gregson Reinert, Robert Riva, Nic Roldan, R Polo Holdings LLC, Jack Rooney, Whitney Lovell Schott, William Seggos, Kirsten Smith, Jane Stevens, Alanna Sutherland, Alexis Posada TeStrake, and Eric Viner
Palm Beach Race of Hope Sponsor List
Sponsors: Livingston Builders, Inc., Robert and Perri Bishop Foundation Inc., J.P. Morgan, Yafa Signed Jewels, Saks Fifth Avenue, Aktion Art, Palm Beach Modern + Contemporary, Via Coquina, Akris, Top of Mind, Smith & Elkin, CPA’s, P.A., Vassalotti Stoneworks, Le Bilboquet, Gunster Law Firm, Coastal Gardens, Caraccio Pools, Environment Design Group, Olara, Harlan Captial Partners, Palm Beach Atlantic Unviersity, Fit 2 Run, Frances Valentine, Tammy Fender Holistic Skin Care, Palm Beach Illustrated, Celis Produce, Scott’s Protein Balls and The Hamptons.
About Hope for Depression Research Foundation
Audrey Gruss founded HDRF in 2006 in memory of her mother Hope, who struggled with clinical depression. Today, HDRF is the leading nonprofit organization focused solely on advanced depression research into new and better treatments for the illness. The World Health Organization has declared depression as the leading cause of disability worldwide, and yet conventional medications today are outdated and do not fully work for 50% of patients. The mission of the HDRF is to spur innovative neuroscience research into the origins, medical diagnosis, new treatments, and prevention of depression and its related mood disorders – bipolar disorder, postpartum depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety disorder, and suicide. To date, HDRF has provided more than $45 million through over 200 grants for breakthrough depression research that promises to transform the way depression is viewed, diagnosed, treated and prevented. Currently, HDRF has a potential new class of medication in pilot clinical trials at Mount Sinai Medical Center and Columbia University.
